DUBAI // Men posing as police officers raided a house before kidnapping two people and holding them for a Dh28,000 ransom, a court heard yesterday.
Prosecutors said the men burst into a house in Hor Al Anz on December 11 last year claiming they were looking for a man who had swindled them in a car sale.
They flashed cards identifying themselves as CID officers.
“I asked to have a look at the ID card but they slapped me instead,” recalled B?M, a clerk from Pakistan who was living in the house. “They asked me about a person named Ali, an Indian, and told me they gave him money for a car and that he disappeared. They claimed I knew his whereabouts and said I must go with them to Ras Al Khaimah.”
The bogus police officers then dragged him to their car before returning for his compatriot and friend W?B, 29, a salesman.
They drove the two to an old townhouse in Ras Al Khaimah and locked them in a room.
The hostages convinced the kidnappers to let them call a friend to ask for money. The clerk called his housemate B?A, a painter and also from Pakistan, and asked him to pay a Dh4,000 ransom.
But after the painter delivered the money he received another call from the men asking for a further Dh24,000.
“At this point I decided to report the case to the police,” he said.
Police told the painter to agree to meet one of the kidnappers and hand over the ransom money, which they supplied. When the kidnapper took the money police arrested him.
A few hours later two other kidnappers handed themselves in, with the hostages, at Al Muraqabat police station.
"They realised how serious the crime they carried out was and decided to hand themselves in," said E?A, an Emirati police officer.
Other men who took part have not yet been caught.
The three men told police they kidnapped the clerk because he owed them money and they believed he was about to leave the country without repaying them.
The Criminal Court charged the Indians F?K, 23, I?B, 29, and W?B, 29, with kidnapping.
I?B and W?B were also charged with theft.
None of the men appeared in court and the case was adjourned to June 25.
wissa@thenational.ae
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
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Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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Arsenal v Manchester City,
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6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
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8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
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10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
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Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
Jetour T1 specs
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Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
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